Employment

JOLIET — State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Plainfield) partnered with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to hold a successful hiring fair this week.

“Job fairs are important for connecting employers with community members who are looking for work,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “I enjoyed meeting those who attended, and I look forward to having future events that will help people obtain employment.”

More than 50 people showed up to meet with representatives from participating businesses. The first hour of the hiring fair catered specifically to veterans.

“Our veterans have loyally served our nation, and I’m committed to doing what I can to make sure they’re employed,” Bertino-Tarrant said.

SPRINGFIELD – Former wards of the state will soon have access to internships and potential employment opportunities. A youth employment jobs plan creating the Foster Youth Summer Internship Program was signed into law today.

“Our at-risk youth face the harsh challenges of either finding employment or facing joblessness, homelessness and even incarceration. Preventing a pipeline to prison will empower our future leaders and grow our economy,” said State Senator Mattie Hunter, the bill’s sponsor.

A 2011 Northwestern University study showed Illinois had the third largest number of youth in the country who were aging out of the foster care system without parental support at 21 percent.

Compounding those figures, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the state had one of the highest unemployment rates among teens aged 16 to 19 in 2012, at 27.1 percent.

Joblessness among minority youth skyrocketed to 90 percent for African-Americans and 79 percent for Hispanics.

“Our youth are struggling to find jobs. Internships will give them transferrable skills while fostering their economic independence,” said Hunter.

Hunter modeled the program after similar foster care internship pilot programs in Maryland, Missouri and Florida.

The program will begin on January 1, 2016 and operate for a two-year period before being assessed for long-term implementation.

Senate Bill 1255 gained bipartisan support and passed the Senate 49-1 and the House 115-0 in May.

SPRINGFIELD – Bipartisan legislation that would allow 124 Illinois prison nurses to breathe a sigh of relief about their future landed on the governor’s desk today, and two central Illinois senators who sponsored the measure are urging him to rethink his position on privatizing prison jobs.

“There is no evidence that outsourcing these jobs, as Gov. Rauner proposed, will save money. You can’t just look at one side of the ledger and claim you’re driving a bargain for taxpayers,” said Senator Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat and a sponsor of Senate Bill 19, which would protect the jobs of 322 state employees who work for the Illinois Department of Corrections as nurses, medical technicians and mental health professionals.

SPRINGFIELD — Earlier this year, Senate Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of the Senate that would create a commission to help young people find jobs and lower unemployment.

Today, Martinez’s legislation was signed into law.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois’ youth unemployment rate was 18.5 percent in 2012.

“I am committed to helping young people in our state who struggle to find a job,” Martinez said. “The commission will focus on bringing together experts to come up with ways to help our youth find and keep employment.”

Under HB 1490, a 17-member commission will be in charge of identifying concerns regarding the readiness and ability of young adults to find employment after their education is completed.

Members of the commission are unpaid. Each legislative leader will be able to appoint four members to the commission.

“Manufacturing is a major industry in the area, with hundreds of local residents working in the field,” Morrison said. “As a state legislator, I believe it’s important to talk to local employers and make sure the state is doing everything possible to attract and retain good businesses like these.”

SPRINGFIELD- To help promote job openings in the area, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), has announced she will continue the “Job of the Day” program created by her predecessor.

“My top priority as a new state senator is to put people back to work. There are many local, good-paying jobs for people who are looking to find employment, but they are not always easy to find. I look forward to using my office as a resource for those looking to join our work force,” said Murphy.

Under the program, Murphy’s office will post jobs daily in the 28th District on her website (www.SenatorLauraMurphy.com), Facebook (State Senator Laura Murphy) and Twitter (@SenatorLaura).

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate voted today to create a program that would teach Illinois prison inmates business skills. State Sen. Omar Aquino, a Democrat from Chicago, is the measure’s chief sponsor in the Senate.

The goal of the proposed law is to decrease recidivism by providing inmates with opportunities to acquire business skills for use after release. The legislation establishes a pilot program similar to one already in place in the Texas Department of Corrections.

“Because it is already tough to find employment with a felony conviction, this program gives inmates entrepreneurial skills beyond basic vocational and career training so that they can employ themselves,” Aquino said. “We want to give people the business skills that they need to create jobs and lead productive lives. This legislation will boost entrepreneurship and decrease recidivism at the same time.”

VILLA PARK - Walter Conrad showed up to the Odeum Expo Center on Wednesday looking for a job. By the time he left, he had three interviews lined up, including one on Thursday.

“This was helpful,” said Conrad, one of hundreds who attended the job fair sponsored by State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park). “I met with a wide range of employers and even had an on-site interview.”

Job seekers from across the suburbs flocked to Cullerton’s annual job fair, which this year featured more than 100 businesses ranging from the DuPage County Health Department to Google Streetview’s 360 Photo Team.

“Events like this are essential to link interested businesses with qualified candidates,” Cullerton said. “Let’s put people back to work. Our economy is growing. We have Illinois businesses ready to hire.”

Cullerton encourages residents unable to attend this event to reach out to his Villa Park office at (630) 903-6662 to take advantage of a variety of resources.

"We are happy with the great turnout at our first-ever hiring fair in the 8th District," said Senator Ira I. Silverstein (D-Chicago), after 150 job seekers connected with roughly 40 employers on Thursday.

The event at West Ridge Elementary School featured a variety of positions available with several different types of employers. Held in partnership with Alderman Debra Silverstein (Chicago-50th Ward) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the hiring fair drew small businesses, large corporations and municipal organizations.

"Our expectations for helping Chicagoans find opportunities for employment were exceeded today," Silverstein said. "We will be assessing our results and how we can improve as we look into future events like this."